Target throwing arm



April 28, 1964 H. c. FOSTER TARGET THROWING ARM Original Filed June 16, 1954 INVENTOR. HARRY CLARK FOSTER BY 2 'ArroRms? United States Patent 3,130,718 TARGET THROWIN G ARM Harry Clark Foster, Rosewood Heights, 111., assignor to Olin Mathieson Chemical Corporation, East Alton, 111., a corporation of Virginia Original application June 16, 1954, Ser. No. 437,191, now Patent No. 2,925,812, dated Feb. 23, 1960. Divided and this application Oct. 8, 1959, Ser. No. 845,215 6 Claims. (Cl. 124-43) This invention relates to target traps of the type for projecting clay targets or pigeons or the like into the air, and more specifically to an improved target throwing arm for such traps suitable for use in the sport of skeet shooting.

This application is a division of co-pending application Serial No. 437,191, filed June 16, 1954, now US. Patent No. 2,925,812, issued February 23, 1960.

A principal object of the present invention is the provision of an improved target throwing arm utilizable with a target throwing apparatus. Another object of the present invention is the provision of an improved target throwing arm in which a suitably mounted rail effects a variation in the angle of lag or lead of the discharge targets. A still further object of the present invention is the provision of an improved target throwing arm having means for the angular control of the target trajectory and control of the levelness of the trajectory.

Other objects, features and advantages of my invention will become apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof and the accompanying drawing, which is a partial plan view of the throwing arm in cocked position in relationship to the escapement mechanism and the target feed shelf.

Generally, this invention relates to an improvement in a trap powered by a continuously running motor which engages the trap mechanism through a clutch system to cock a spring, which upon being released rotates the target throwing arm to effect throwing of the target, which is then followed by automatic loading of another target to the throwing arm as the result of continued movement of the mechanism. The sequence of target throwing, cocking of the main spring of the trap, and reloading of the target throwing arm occurs substantially automatically in the apparatus upon release of the target throwing arm by the operator. The specific improvement of this invention resides in an improved rail structure for the target throwing arm and in the manner of its mounting thereon to achieve the foregoing objects in association with a target throwing apparatus.

Referring now to the figure, it will be seen that there is provided a target carrier or throwing arm which has a carrier plate 33 and a rubber or other resilient material faced rail 34. The arm 5 is formed with an upward tilt of about 5 as an extension of a circular disc portion 35 which is provided with a hub 36 internally splined at 37 for attachment to a splined fitting of a main shaft which is associated with a target throwing apparatus and is powered by suitable mechanism thereof. At the outer end of arm 5 and supported underneath it is a carrier plate 33 which supports a target in its initial travel during the throwing operation from the moment of firing to the moment when the target leaves the arm. Although plate 33 "ice in this embodiment is attached to arm 5, it is to be understood that plate 33 could be a separate stationary member mounted on the frame of the target throwing apparatus (not shown) and of suitable arcuate length to support the target while it is propelled by the rail 34. In this embodiment described, the leading edge of the plate 33 adjacent a shelf 126 in cocked position is formed with a projection to prevent interference with the trailing edge of the target in throwing. Depending from the carrier arm 5 is the angularly adjustable rail 34, having the resilient leading edge 38 and which is pivotably attached at the inner end to arm 5 at the fastener 39 to extend outwardly above the carrier plate 33 at least to the slot 40. Angular control of the target trajectory and control of the levelness of the trajectory is attained by angular movement of the adjustable carrier rail 34 about pivot 39 to a desired position of the outer carrier rail support 41 as determined by the position of support fastener 42 in the arcuate slot 40 in the carrier plate 33. Slot 40 is of such length as to permit the rail 34 to be adjusted to an angle of lead or lag as necessary to correct for the effect of windage on levelness and direction. For example, a lagging rail causes a target discharge to the right with a tendency to a right tilt, whereas a leading rail causes a target discharge to the left with a tendency to a left tilt. To reduce the moment of inertia, the arm 5 is cast of a light metal such as a suitable magnesium alloy or the like and the light metal carrier plate 33 has a number of openings or cut out sections. It is to be noted that the rail 34 is adapted to be reversibly mounted to compensate for wear.

Since many other embodiments of this invention may occur to those skilled in the art, it is to be understood the foregoing is intended by way of illustration of a preferred embodiment, and not as a limitation of the scope of the present invention except as set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a target throwing trap having a rotatably mounted target throwing arm, the improvement comprising a target rail mounted with angular adjustability on said arm to effectuate discharge of targets therefrom at a position which may be varied by adjustment of said rail, wherein said rail is disposed adjacent the trailing edge of said arm and one end of the rail is pivotally mounted on said arm about a pivot point located adjacent the center of rotation of said arm and the place at which a target to be fired is deposited thereon while the other end of the rail extends outwardly to a point remote from said center of rotation and means for releasably securing said other end to said remote point for angular adjustment of said rail with respect to said pivot point.

2. The trap of claim 1 wherein said means comprises an arcuate slot disposed in said arm and adjustably mounting said other end.

3. In a target throwing trap having a rotatably mounted target throwing arm, the improvement comprising a target rail adjustably mounted on said arm adjacent the trailing edge thereof for angular movement thereon in an arc substantially parallel with the plane of said arm to effectuate a variation in the angle of lag and lead of the discharge of targets, and adjustment means for adjustably securing said rail to said arm, said adjustment means comprising two spaced apertures provided in said arm at spaced points 0) along the length of said arm with said rail pivotally mounted to one of said apertures and releasably secured to the other of said apertures, and fastening means for releasably securing said rail to the other of said apertures.

4. The trap of claim 3 wherein the said other aperture comprises an arcuate slot for limiting said angular movement of said rail.

5. The trap of claim 3 wherein said rail is pivotally mounted to the aperture nearest the center of rotation of said arm.

6. The trap of claim 5 wherein the said other aperture comprises an arcuate slot.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Horst Aug. 9, McCrea July 3, Leggett Apr. 30, Reynolds et al. June 25, Wilder Nov. 30, North Aug. 18, Rutherford et a1. Dec. 9, Du Pont Dec. 7, Woolsey Feb. 9, 

1. IN A TARGET THROWING TRAP HAVING A ROTATABLY MOUNTED TARGET THROWING ARM, THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING A TARGET RAIL MOUNTED WITH ANGULAR ADJUSTABILITY ON SAID ARM TO EFFECTUATE DISCHARGE OF TARGETS THEREFROM AT A POSITION WHICH MAY BE VARIED BY ADJUSTMENT OF SAID RAIL, WHEREIN SAID RAIL IS DISPOSED ADJACENT THE TRAILING EDGE OF SAID ARM AND ONE END OF THE RAIL IS PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ON SAID ARM ABOUT A PIVOT POINT LOCATED ADJACENT THE CENTER OF ROTATION OF SAID ARM AND THE PLACE AT WHICH A TARGET TO BE FIRED IS DEPOSITED THEREON WHILE THE OTHER END OF THE RAIL EXTENDS OUTWARDLY TO A POINT REMOTE FROM SAID CENTER OF ROTATION AND MEANS FOR RELEASABLY SECURING SAID OTHER END TO SAID REMOTE POINT FOR ANGULAR ADJUSTMENT OF SAID RAIL WITH RESPECT TO SAID PIVOT POINT. 